Banks Lake 2013

We just had our annual trip to Banks Lake from the 17th -25th of August.  Darren was anxious to get out of town as soon as he got off work.  We ended up leaving on a Thursday evening after work.  By the time we got on the road it was past 10:00pm.  Crazy.  But Darren didn't want to spend a moment of vacation at home.  We spent the night in the trailer up by Snoqualmie Pass.  Gavin's girlfriend Michaela came with us for the entire time and it was nice having her around.  Drew stayed back with the Pedigo's and came with them on Saturday.  We took Brooke Pedigo with us.  She and Gillian are quite the pair.

It's amazing to see how our Banks Lake outings have changed through the years.  During the early years everyone was in tents and Darren wasn't able to come because of work.  Gradually we moved to a bigger sight, invited new people (Pedigo's and Richey's) and people started getting campers and trailers.  I never thought we would be trailer people but I've got to say I love it!  Camping for 10 days would be a lot different if we had to stay in tents.  Plus, our sight doesn't have running water.

We debated on whether or not to bring the dogs but we ended up bringing them all.  They had a blast.  Shadow swam a lot and played fetch.  George ran around peeing on everyone's coolers and chairs and any other stationary object.  Roxy played with her brother Coulee (Pedigo's chihuahua from the same litter as Roxy).  Holly followed me on runs and loved riding on the boat.

Gavin and Michaela jumping off the cliff

This is always the highlight of our year.  We feel so blessed to have such wonderful friends to share this time with.  All the kids get along so well and everyone has a blast.  We had fun crafts.  Jared cooked a big breakfast every morning.  Lots of tubing and surfing and sunburns and mosquito bites.  And to top it off Darren and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary there.  We seem to always be at Banks Lake during our anniversary and have started a tradition of going to a Mexican restaurant in Electric City called La Presa.  And my new favorite is getting smoothies from the ice cream/smoothie truck across from Safeway.  Yum.  I think I gained 10 pounds.

Gillian and Brooke

Gavin and Drew on the jet skis

 

Me and Nasca

Soooo happy.  

Redneck traveling

baby Ty Pedigo

Amanda, Michaela and Gavin 

Drew surfing

Gillian's first time skiing. 

Jared making crepes for everyone in camp

Darren waiting for more crepes

Gillian, Roxy, Brooke, and Coulee

THE END....... until next year!

Big long road trip

We left for Utah on June 19th.  First stop was Kaysville, UT. where we stayed at Aunt Linda's house with my mom.  We went to my cousin Shauna's son Alec's wedding reception.  The kids met several of their second cousins and really got along well.  So the girls went to Lagoon with my cousin Vicki and her kids and some other cousins.  I took Gavin shopping and to a movie on that day.  The girls had a blast at Lagoon.  Gillian played with Maile and Aiden and Drew hung out mostly with Austin.  On that Saturday aunt Joanne had a big family get together at her house.  It was so nice to see everyone.  Joanne is battling cancer right now and doesn't feel her best but she sure put on a good feast as usual.  

Emily, Levi, Vicki, me, Drew

Drew, Aiden, Gillian, and Isaac

Mom with her sisters and cousins

Darren's cousin Don met Gavin, Drew and I at the gun range the next week.  He was stunned at what a good shot Gavin is.  Drew shot very well for her first time too.  And me.... not so much.  But we had fun and learned some good tactical maneuvers.  

sharp shooter

The worst day was last Thursday.  I was going to take the girls up to Lagoon and meet up with Vicki, Sue, and their kids.  Gavin flew home that day.  As I was dropping him off at Ginger's house (she took him to the airport) Angie called from work and said that Noah called to tell her that Roxy had escaped the makeshift playpen that we left her in outside.  I didn't want to leave her locked in her crate all day so we brought out a big crate and left her outside.  I didn't happen to notice on one side that the holes in the crate were Roxy sized.  So I dropped off the girls with Vicki and rushed back down to Orem to locate Tiny Baby.  I thought that I would find her hiding in the house or yard and be able to go back to Lagoon but no such luck.  I spent the rest of the day walking the streets calling for her and knocking on doors.  I checked animal shelters and finally decided to make lost dog posters.  I was so sad and frantic.  I talked to everyone that I saw outdoors.  Finally I headed up to meet Angie at her work so that we could go to dinner and then pick up our girls.  As we were eating I got a call from a lady that I had talked to earlier and she had Roxy.  I was SO relieved!  What a crazy day!

Naughty little girl amongst her "missing" posters.

We stayed in Orem at the Goodwin's house for about 6 days.  We went swimming, went to CrossFit, and even went with Angie to Vernal to do a fitness booth for a company she works for.  I ended up doing the contest they were having.  It was hard because it was super hot, high elevation, and I had a very stiff and painful neck.  We had a blast driving up in her big green van.  

This was the temperature reading driving through Nevada

Gilly and Roxy making themselves comfy in the back seat

The Outlaw Throwdown in Vernal, Utah.  I took second place.

Now I am in Huntington Beach with the Sheldons.  I miss Darren like crazy but it is good to see my family and friends.  Alice is so funny and cute.  She has a superhero fetish.  Every day she wears her batman shirt and hat.  Her swimsuit is a Spiderman rash guard and shorts.  And of course her pjs are Superman.  The girls are having so much fun in the sun.

Alice's fine swimwear

Everyday wear

Fricke's pool

I 'm trying to be cool like Alice

The Rez

The reservation

When we first moved to our new home we called the encampment at the beginning of our dirt road "shanty town".  Then our neighbor's at the top of the road told us they call it "the rez.", short for the Reservation.  It stuck.  It is quite the eyesore.  I haven't exactly counted all of the trailers (those with wheels and those of the double-wide style).  There are several, and all of them in poor repair.  There are also broken down cars and trucks and even a few port-a-potties.  Awesome.  I have only met one of the guys who dwells there and I'm certain he was not sober.  I'm sure that people get a really nice impression when they turn down our road.  Luckily our house is a half mile up the dirt/gravel road and you can't even see it from our gate at the beginning of our property.  I tell myself this is good because it will keep prowlers away.  Between the Rez and the proximity of our house I feel pretty safe.  Plus, hey, 4 dogs let me know when anyone comes anywhere even close to the house.

Since Gillian gets off the bus alone this year she has to walk by the Rez alone unless I'm there to pick her up.  She once told me that when she starts walking she sings a song to make herself feel better.  Then she began to sing it to illustrate.  I figured she'd sing a primary song to comfort herself so I wasn't surprised when she started singing "I am... (and here's where I thought she was going to sing '...a child of God).  She paused and started again and sang "I am Ironman!"  An Ozzy Osborne song.  Of course. I guess that's way more comforting than I am a Child of God.

All I know is that the people on the Rez better watch out.  My daughter is Ironman.

Super awesome tansy time

I'm not quite sure why the kids all seem so distraught that it's that time of year again-- time to pull, poison, and kill all the Tansy Ragwort on the property.  So far I have pretty much been the only person who has done anything about the dreaded weed so far.  I've been having PTSD and flashbacks of last year.  I think I developed arthritis last year from pulling so many weeds.  This year I'm determined not to let any of the tansy go to seed.  I got a 4 gallon backpack weed sprayer and made the rounds on a lot of the weeds.  I've been trying several concoctions.  So far the diesel fuel I sprayed seems to have worked the best.  Unfortunately it has been raining for several days which is not conducive to poisoning these devilish weeds.  So today I went out and pulled all the really big ones.  I will succeed!  They will die!!!

I often feel like there are eyes watching me.  Then I turn around and voila, dogs, dogs, dogs.  They are literally everywhere.  Shadow has developed a skin condition.  She has lost a lot of hair and has very itchy and bumpy skin.  Darren took her to the vet.  She was so stinky.  Beyond any kind of dog stink I've smelled.  It has been three days of steroid and antibiotic pills and special shampoo and she finally smells normal.  Normal for a dog, just the normal stink.  She's such a sweet dog but I didn't want to pet her because I had to immediately wash my hands.  

The good news is that Roxy seems to be completely healed.  She's running around again and even ran out with the big dogs to chase away a coyote that was out by the fire pit.  I hope that she doesn't get herself into trouble again.  

I'm getting really excited for lacrosse to be done.  Between both girls there is practice every day and Saturday games.  Which means a lot of driving for me.  A lot.  Then Drew decided to do track too, which I'm happy about.  It adds in a Wednesday track meet every week.  Drew has made it to finals.  I'm so proud.  She runs the mile in 6:23.  Pretty darn good!  I could never do that at her age.  Or at any other age.  I can, however, do a workout with 100 pull-ups in it.  Which is how I trashed my hands and had painful open blisters for days.  I know that it doesn't make sense to many people to put myself through this kind of torture but for some reason I love it.  

On Saturday night we went to go see Star Trek with Rebecca and Tyler.  The movie theater was full so we had a couple of hours to kill before the next movie.  We could hear the NASCAR race at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe.  Darren just couldn't resist.  We went to watch the races.  Afterwards the girls ran down to the front because they wanted to get a picture with the winner.  They got a picture with the second place winner.  Then Gillian said that she wants to be a race car driver when she grows up.  We are truly a redneck family now!

All eyes on Cyn.  All day long.

A skillet full of Roxy

Kids with a race car driver

I never knew how loud the races are.  I guess if I can hear it from my house....

Me, Chuck, Roxy, and my lilac tree

The workout was: 100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats

Mother's Day

I really enjoy Mother's Day because I get to sleep in.  Then Darren and the girls bring me breakfast in bed.  After church I get a nap.  Ok, so this usually happens every Sunday, but on Mother's Day I don't help clean up at all.  So nice.

I wish I lived closer to Patsy.  She's such a great mama.  I try to be as good as she is but I fall short.  I'm not sure how she survived through six kids.  She did everything.  She drove 14 hours to Utah with six kids by herself in the summers.  And one fun time Johnny puked over her shoulder and into her purse.  She always just keeps trucking on.  And whenever I need anything she is always there.  Just a few months ago she flew out when she found out that I was sick.  She has a sixth sense when it comes to her kids.  I'd like to be as tough as her.  She always has a way of turning everything into something positive, even when it's pretty much crap.

I am grateful to be a mom.  It's a tough job.  Tougher than I ever thought it would be.  But so worth it.

Happy Mother's Day Patsy !

Two birthdays and a mauling

On April 24th Gavin turned 17.  I can hardly believe it.  He is quite the redneck kid.  His favorite thing to talk about is anything anti-Obama.  Ugh.  Not a topic that I love talking about.  Not sure where he gets his angst from. 

Then on May 7th Gillian turned 11.  And she's finally starting to sleep in her own bed.  She wanted dresses for her birthday.  And headphones.  She's growing up so fast.  Too fast.  It's all going too fast.

Then, a week ago Roxy got attacked by the neighbor's black Lab.  I was walking over to Aaron and Ashley's house to see if they had jumper cables to jump my dead car.  Roxy followed me over and started barking at their two dogs.  It all happened so quickly.  Their dog Bailey turned into Cujo and pounced on Roxy, grabbed her in her mouth and shook her around. I ran over and picked her up as quick as I could.  She was crying and bleeding all over me.  We ended up taking her to the emergency vet that evening.  She has fractured ribs and a big open bite wound that just now is starting to heal.  She developed quite an infection and has been on three different antibiotics to clear up the infection.  Poor little thing.  She has lost almost a pound, now down to 3.5 pounds.  She needed to lose weight but I think this was the wrong way of going about it.  

Roxy's compression wrap